


You Can't be Traumatized if You Don't Go to Summer Camp

by jubilantscribbler



Series: Jaspvid Week 2020 [3]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: David before he became happy, M/M, No Camp Campbell Just Them Two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24418141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jubilantscribbler/pseuds/jubilantscribbler
Summary: Day 3: SummerThey met by an ice cream truck as children.  And since then, it’s been a tradition for them to meet up and buy ice cream together.
Relationships: David/Jasper (Camp Camp)
Series: Jaspvid Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758160
Comments: 1
Kudos: 33





	You Can't be Traumatized if You Don't Go to Summer Camp

**Author's Note:**

> -dabs- i'm so good at posting so late. this is pretty rushed, so i'm not too pleased by the outcome but hey! it's done.

Jasper loves summer. Summer means no school, no homework, and no teachers to be bummed out by! Since he's eleven now, he thinks that maybe his mom will let him go to the community pool more often, since he can totally swim by himself without her worrying that he'll go to the deep end and drown. 

He's too rad for that anyways! And since summer vacation started, he's been having fun watching the Saturday morning cartoons and hanging out with his friends whenever they want to come over and play. With the heat bringing it's A game this year though, more and more of his time is spent just lounging inside his house, trying to beat the heat with his mom's rotating fan.

In fact, here he sits, mouth wide open as he makes a long "ahhhh" sound at it, giggling as the fan messes with his voice. Although summer isn't always about having fun and playing with his mom's fan and going swimming at the pool. He keeps his ears perked as he waits for a special kind of song to start making its rounds around the block.

And sure enough, the musical notes of a familiar tune rings throughout the neighborhood, and Jasper is already making a mad dash to his mom for some sweet, sweet cash.

"Mom!" He waves his hands back and forth to get her attention. "Mom, the ice cream truck!"

His mom smiles, having already heard the tune and pulling her wallet out of her purse. "Alright, hold on." A few dollars bills are handed over as Jasper grabs them eagerly.

"Rad!"

"But only buy one, okay? Dinner's coming up soon."

"Okay!" He dashes out the door just in time to see the ice cream turn the corner onto his street. "Hey!" He waves his hand in the air, flagging down the ice cream truck as it continues past his house. It slows to a stop as he chases after it when he notices another kid peek his head out.

Red hair.

Green eyes.

And the scariest frown he's seen.

He smiles as he waves at his neighbor.

"Hi, Davey!"

"Don't call me that!" David yells as he slams his front door shut, disappearing back into his house.

"Jeepers, man." Normally, all the other kids would feel put out by having their neighbor slam a door shut at them, but Jasper was used to it. It was pretty rude yeah, but as long as Jasper kept his distance, David wouldn't start throwing rocks at him! It's a good thing Jasper is a quick learner, otherwise there would have been a lot more rocks in his future.

"Hey, kid." A man with a scraggly looking face rolls down the window. The ice cream man! "You wanted somethin'?"

"Sure do, mister!" Jasper looks over the ice cream choices on the side of the truck. There were ice cream sandwiches, drumsticks, those push pop thingies, the faces with bubblegum eyes, that frozen lemonade stuff in a cup that tastes okay he supposes, and- "One bomb pop! Please!"

"Sure, which flavor?"

"The one that looks like a rocket!"

"Red, white, and blue, comin' up." Jasper waits patiently as the ice cream man disappears for a minute before reappearing with the cold treat. "Here ya go. One American ice cream."

"Is it really called that?"

"Nah. That's a dollar." Jasper hands over the dollar and grabs the frosty treat from the man as he sits on the sidewalk. As he unwraps the popsicle, the ice cream man grunts in surprise.

"You want somethin' too?" Jasper looks up and sees David standing not too far from him. He's biting his lip, fists buried deep in his pockets as he glares at the ice cream on the truck. "Gotta pay up, kid."

"...Not if I take it first!" Jasper watches as David runs and leaps at the truck's window, grabbing onto the ledge as the ice cream man looks unimpressed.

"Nice try, kid." He flicks off every single one of his tiny fingers, making David land on the ground with a soft "oof!". "Maybe come back with a dollar, and I'll give ya what your bratty heart so desires."

"Whatever!" David stands up quickly and stomps his foot. "Ice cream is for squares anyways!" As the ginger stomps off, Jasper wonders how many times David's tried to pull that off. He gets up and walks back to the truck.

"Hey, mister?"

"Whatcha want, kid?" The ice cream man eyes him from the window. "You better eat that quick 'fore the sun melts it." 

"Oh I will! It's just, um," he digs around in his pocket and pulls out another dollar, "can I have another one?"

The ice cream man takes it slowly, looking between Jasper and a door that slams shut yet again.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Technically, Jasper wasn't breaking any rules. He grins up at the man brightly. "Umm, can I have..."

Actually, which one WOULD he like? It's not like Jasper knows enough about David to make a good guess. All he knows is that David is grumpy, hates people, sasses adults, and is an overall menace to everyone around him.

But he's also seen David out in the rain, with no umbrella or raincoat to speak of, just picking worms off the sidewalk and tossing them into the grass. He's seen David yell at bullies, aim only for the legs in dodgeball, and even sit next to a crying kid silently just so he wouldn't be alone. 

Jasper points at the vanilla bar with the hard outside.

"Can I have that one?"

"Sure, kid." The ice cream man disappears and comes back with the wrapped treat, but he looks hesitant to give it to him. "Are ya sure...?"

"Totally man! My mom says that if I treat people the way I wanna be treated, I can make friends way faster like that!"

"That's one way to do it, I guess." The ice cream man shrugs as he hands over the treat. "Better give it to him before it melts then."

"Will do! Thanks, mister!"

The ice cream man waves as Jasper runs to David's house, sticking his melting popsicle in his mouth as he knocks on the door. The door creaks open slowly, a single green eye peeking out suspiciously before he spies Jasper standing on his doorstep. Jasper pops his popsicle out and grins.

"Heya, broski!"

"Oh, it's you." Ouch. "What do you want?" Jasper waves the wrapped treat in front of David.

"I did something totally wack and got an extra by accident! And I'm only supposed to have one ice cream before dinner or else my mom will totally wig out, so I thought maybe you'd like it?" David stares at the ice cream with a suspicious squint.

"...Why are you giving it to me?"

"Because you're the only kid I know in this neighborhood!"

"Liar."

"Okay, maybe I know a few other kids, but you were closer!"

"What's the catch?" David glares at Jasper, holding onto his door tight. "I take the ice cream and then what? I gotta give you my allowance? Beat the snot outta someone? Be your friend because you're a weird loner?" 

Well, Jasper's not exactly a loner, but he wouldn't mind being friends with David if he'd just stop being mean for a second.

"It's just ice cream, dude. Take it or leave it."

David swipes the bar from his hand and slams the door in Jasper's face.

"Nice!" The ice cream man calls, laughing as Jasper walks away with a huff.

Well.

At least he took the dang thing. 

* * *

The ice cream truck comes again, and this time, the man grins as Jasper points at an ice cream sandwich.

"Gonna get a second one too while you're at it?" He points to a door cracking open, and a familiar tuft of red hair peeking out.

"...I dunno, maybe." Last time didn't work out so hot. Maybe David just doesn't want friends. Maybe _he's_ the loner.

And Jasper's fine with that. It's not like he _has_ to be friends with David anyways.

"Who knows, kid? Maybe he's like a stray cat. Gotta be nice to 'im and bait 'im 'til he comes out."

"You just want my mom's money."

"Absolutely, now are you gonna buy another one or not?"

"I said I dunno." Jasper huffs as he waits for the ice cream man to give him his sandwich. As he takes it, he hears the door shut and he turns to find David no longer hiding by his door.

"Looks like the runt went back into hiding." The ice cream man hums to himself as Jasper unwraps his treat and starts to munch away. A bright look comes across the man's face as he ducks into his truck as Jasper watches curiously. When the ice cream man resurfaces from his searching, a yellowish cup is held in his hand as he shoves it at Jasper's face. "Here, kid."

Jasper scrunches up his face.

"I don't want it."

"Nah, kid, it's free."

"I still don't want it."

"Look, I got a whole bunch of these laying around 'cause kids don't want 'em as much as the other stuff I got. So why not throw it at that kid's face so you're not wasting your ma's money and I'm gettin' rida stock I don't need?"

"I don't want him to hate me more than he already does!"

"Can't get any lower than rock bottom, kid."

Oh, he'd beg to differ.

But the ice cream man tosses him what was essentially frozen lemonade, but not like, the _good_ lemonade, but the lemonade that was just pure lemon juice with some water, maybe even too much water, mixed in, and then they put it in the freezer, and then put that ice block into a blender, turned it on high, and poured the goop into a cup to be sold to children who actually knew what good lemonade tasted like.

And this was not good lemonade.

Jasper barely manages to catch it as it smacks into his chest.

"Good luck, kid!" The ice cream man salutes him before rushing off into the driver's seat to drive away.

"But I said I didn't want it!" Fruitlessly, he yells at the disappearing ice cream truck, groaning loudly as he clutches this awful excuse for a lemony treat. What was he supposed to do with it? 

...

Well, he could actually give it to David.

Maybe he was into this sort of stuff.

Frozen, bad lemonade. That was kind of like shaved ice, but not really. The outside of the cup sweats in his hand, reminding him of the hot temperature.

Maybe he wouldn't care? Maybe he'll take it because it's so hot out and use it as a, like, ice pack or something.

His feet are already walking him to David's door, and after cramming the ice cream sandwich in his mouth, he once again knocks on the door, but with less enthusiasm this time. David opens the door, but he looks only a little surprised.

"What do you want, Jasper?"

Oh, he knows his name? 

"Uh, here." His words are muffled around the sandwich, but David takes the cup regardless.

And scrunches up his face when he sees it.

"Ugh! I don't want this!"

"Me neither!"

"It sucks!"

"I know!"

David blinks, as if registering that Jasper was actually agreeing with him.

"So why are you giving this to me?" Jasper swallows a bite of his sandwich and shrugs.

"I dunno, maybe you can like, use it as an ice pack?"

"Pfft." David snorts, which makes Jasper perk up a bit. "As if. This thing'll only last for a few minutes." 

"What are you gonna do then?" Jasper watches as David wipes the sweat from his brow, frowning as he stares down at the cup.

And sighs dramatically.

"Guess I'll eat the dang thing."

"...You sure?"

"Well it's not like I have a choice." Jasper expects more bite to his words, but the ginger merely says it with a tired reluctance he doesn't expect. "Thanks, though."

"Oh uh, sure, duderino." He expects David to slam the door in his face but the boy just... keeps it open. "Guess I'll see you around?"

"Whatever." David shrugs as he pops the lid open. "See ya." 

He walks away from David's house and doesn't hear the door close. When he makes it to his own house, he looks over to where David's house is and sees the boy sitting there. Quietly eating his treat in the open doorway.

And Jasper swears.

He's eating it with a smile.

* * *

When Jasper approaches the familiar ice cream truck, he can hear two voices yelling at each other near the truck's window.

"You tellin' me this is all two dollars?!"

"I said count 'em, you gigantic square!"

"Uhh...?" Jasper walks up to find David gripping the edge of the window from where he hangs with a snarl. The ice cream man glares back down at David as he holds a fist full of coins. Oh.

"It's two dollars!"

"Quit jerkin' my chain! As if I'd believe you!"

"Can I count?" The two of them turn their heads to Jasper as he sheepishly rubs his arm. "I mean, if I count them in front of you, it'd save you the trouble and prove Dave- David's telling the truth." The ice cream man rolls his eyes but hands the change over to Jasper regardless. And so the brunette carefully sorts out the assortment of change, and holy cow, he can see why the ice cream man was angry at first. It's a big mess of nickels and pennies and dimes, with maybe one quarter in the mix, but he counts out the change dutifully, carefully, and out loud so that the ice cream man can see his work.

"...and two dollars." He gathers up the change and holds it up to the ice cream man. "David was telling the truth."

"I told you, you big doofus."

"Watch it, kid, or else I'm taking your money and drivin' away."

"That's stealing!"

"As if you haven't tried stealin' from me before." But the ice cream man disappears and comes back with two drumsticks. "Here, your ice cream."

"Yessss!" David takes them both, before turning to Jasper and handing him a stick.

"...Huh?"

"Here." He shoves it into Jasper's hand and looks away. "For the other times you got me ice cream."

"Oh! You didn't have to-"

"Later, nerd!" David runs off and into his house, slamming the door shut as he leaves Jasper in the dust.

"...Are you two friends now?"

"Uhh." Jasper looks down at the drumstick in his hand. It's the usual kind - vanilla, coated with chocolate and nuts. He unwraps it and gnaws on the outer shell.

Sweet.

"...Maybe."

"Huh." The ice cream man sounds amused as he reclines against his window. "That was quick."

* * *

It becomes a routine.

Everyday, the ice cream man comes. Sometimes it'll be Jasper who meets him first. And sometimes it's David.

But there's an unspoken rule between them.

They have to wait until the other shows up before leaving.

It's like a meeting place, but with a guy who brings the meeting place to them.

Normally, they just buy the ice cream and part ways back to their houses. 

But sometimes...

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"What?"

Jasper and David sit on the curb, the ice cream man already driving away as they eat. It's too hot to stay indoors, so they find themselves having a rare moment outside in the sun. Jasper wouldn't mind staying quiet, if only for the fact that David bites down on the bomb pop like it's candy and crunching away at it in his mouth.

Just watching him eat it makes Jasper's teeth ache.

"Biting down on it!"

"No it doesn't." David chomps down on it again, making Jasper cringe. 

"My mom says that biting ice cream like that can hurt your teeth."

David snorts.

"You're just a chicken."

"Am not!"

"Then do it, chicken."

Jasper looks at his own popsicle. He doesn't want to hurt his teeth, but he also doesn't want to be called a chicken. David grins slyly as he nudges Jasper.

"Chiiiickeeeeen," he goads.

"I'm not a chicken!" Without a second thought, Jasper bites down on his popsicle and crunches down on the block of flavored ice. It feels as though the ice is freezing his teeth all the way down to his gums, and it sort of hurts, and sort of doesn't.

It's still not pleasant though, so he chews through it quickly.

"See?" David nudges him again with a lighter grin as he goes back to polishing off the popsicle. "It's not that bad."

"Ugh." He determines not to do that again. "I think I'll pass on eating popsicles like that ever again."

David snickers but doesn't push him. Instead, they both kick at the asphalt beneath their feet and take in the rays.

* * *

Summer comes, and summer goes. They go back to school, pretend they don't know each other asides from a neighborly nod, before continuing on with their lives.

But when summer returns, they find themselves meeting up back at the ice cream truck.

"Wanna try these ones?!" Jasper excitedly points at the pastel-looking ice cream bars on the truck.

"Are you getting it only for the colors?"

"Why not!" 

"That's dumb. You're dumb." 

"You just don't wanna admit you wanna try the cotton candy one." Jasper teases the ginger as David rolls his eyes.

"Whatever. I'll just take the watermelon one." 

"Well, _I'm_ taking the cotton candy one, 'cause I'm not a chicken."

" _You take that back._ "

"Are you kids gonna pay or what?"

"Here you go, mister!" As the ice cream man hands them their treats, the two of them sit back on the curb, kicking at the asphalt as they get used to each other yet again.

"You think his menu ever changes?"

"Nah, he seems too lazy to do that."

"But what if something new comes out? Like a tubular kind of ice cream."

"He already _has_ a tube-y ice cream."

"No, like tubular! Like wicked? Gnarly?"

"...I hate you so much. Just speak like a human!"

"But I am??" David yells as Jasper laughs. "Take a chill pill, man! It's how everyone speaks nowadays!"

"That's a lie. A big, dumb lie that only a square would make."

"Calling people a square is sooo outdated, Davey." The nickname slips out before Jasper can stop himself, and he slaps his hand over his mouth in shock. "Oh, no, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine."

And he blinks.

"...Huh?"

"I said it's fine." David kicks at the asphalt, keeping his eyes away from Jasper's as he bites into his ice cream. "...I'm okay with you calling me 'Davey'."

"Are. Are you sure?"

"Yeah." David shrugs before turning to face Jasper. He looks uncertain, nervous even as he twirls the melting treating between his fingers. "I mean, we're friends, right?"

And he blinks again.

Mouth slightly agape. 

He must have taken too long to respond because suddenly David's ears are bright red as he stands up abruptly. "Wh-whatever! If we're not friends, just say it-!"

"We are!" Jasper stands up just as quickly, a giddy grin making it onto his face as he makes to hug David, only to remember the sticky ice cream in their hands. "We're friends!"

It's David's turn to blink as he registers the words Jasper says. And then.

He smiles.

A real, genuine smile.

"...Cool!"

And when summer inevitably ends, he hopes he'll get more than a nod from David as they pass each other in the halls.

* * *

Summers come, and summers go. As they pass each other in the halls, Jasper goes for a high-five that David avoids, only to punch Jasper (lightly) in the arm later.

They sit next to each other at lunch, Jasper sharing his snacks with David as the latter pours over Jasper's homework as Jasper explains each problem to him.

They become an odd pair, the two of them. David's bristly exterior is immediately softened when Jasper is nearby, and Jasper's mood lightens considerably no matter the problem he has to face as long as David is there with him.

People often ask him if he hopes to make David a more cheery person by sticking with him. After all, Jasper is all smiles and bright colors. But Jasper just shrugs, saying he likes David the way he is.

If David changes, then he'll still like him.

Because David is David.

Just like how Jasper is Jasper.

Some things about them will change, Jasper knows that's inevitable. Habits change, opinions change, outlooks change.

But some routines never change.

They're fourteen as they wait for the ice cream truck together, sitting on Jasper's front lawn as the cool grass stains their shorts.

"Aren't we too old for ice cream trucks?" David is lying down besides Jasper, his eyes closed as Jasper drops torn up grass onto his face. Jasper giggles as David swats halfheartedly at his hand.

"Nah." 

"We could be doing something else. Like playing games. Or eating ice."

"Only you would eat ice."

"Yeah well, maybe if you didn't think your teeth were so _fragile_ -"

Jasper rolls David over, the other boy squeaking indignantly as his words are muffled by the dirt and grass. 

"UGH! JASP-" And then a familiar jingle rounds the corner.

"Oh it's Mr. Kevin!" Jasper bounces to his feet and dashes away to meet the familiar driver. "What's up-!"

David comes up from behind Jasper and grabs him in a headlock, already yelling at the amused man as he pulls out a few bills.

"HE WANTS THE LEMON ICE!"

"HEY-"

"Whatever my loyal customers want."

" _HEY-_ "

* * *

A few more summers come and go. Puberty is wack. High school is wack. Preparing for college is super bogus wack. But David isn't wack.

If time could stop for just a moment, just so Jasper could have more seconds in the day to relish those moments of happiness that escape them more often than not, then maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't feel as though everything was falling through his fingers so quickly.

Things change too quickly.

Times change too quickly.

Even old routines, that one routine he'd grown to depend on every summer.

That began to change too.

As the two of them wait for the ice cream man, a man who has slowly begun to fade from their lives as the times change, Jasper finds himself clutching desperately to the past as his feet tap nervously against the grass. He can feel David's eyes on him, watching as his best friend slowly unravels before him. With a sigh, David leans against him, forcing Jasper to a halt as he forces the teen to lay down in the grass.

Up above them, the clouds roll by peacefully, completely unbothered and untethered to any sorts of worries.

"...You think he's gonna come by?"

"I don't think he's got enough customers to justify it, Jasp."

"...Bummer."

"Hm."

They continue to watch the clouds for a while, Jasper's disappointment settling on his face as he wonders if he took his childhood for granted yet again. A finger prods his cheek, and he turns to see David's green eyes. Calm. Relaxed, even. He's mellowed out throughout the years, but he still wears a frown most days. He's grown up a lot since he was that mean, bratty kid next door.

"You want ice cream that bad?"

"It's not that." Jasper bites his lip. He's kind of embarrassed actually, wanting to stick to this routine for so long. David's probably long since gotten tired of waiting for the ice cream truck, especially during these recent years as the man showed up less and less. But he never complains or goes against Jasper's wants, and instead plays along patiently as Jasper continues to cling. 

"Then what is it?"

Is it hard to explain? Or is it just embarrassing to say? He looks over to David, and there's understanding in his eyes as he props himself up, waiting for Jasper to choose his words without any rush.

How lucky was he to keep a friend like David for so long?

"We stuck together because of the ice cream truck." David's eyes widen as the words sink in. Jasper laughs, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck as he looks away. "I dunno it just- I'm probably just tripping over this for no reason, dude, sorry-"

"It's important to you." Jasper feels David lean against him as he thinks out loud. "I don't think it's wrong that you're upset about it."

"...But it's a dumb thing to cling to."

"Not really. We became friends because we kept buying ice cream together. I think that's pretty meaningful." David rests his chin on Jasper's shoulder as they continue to sit, waiting for nothing to arrive. 

"Is it bad that I miss it?"

"Nah." 

The breeze ruffles their hair.

"...What do you think Kevin is up to?"

"Probably selling drugs."

"Davey!"

"What?" The ginger laughs, puffs of warm brushing against Jasper's neck as he gradually calms down. "I'm right."

"You don't know that."

"Maybe." 

Jasper closes his eyes. It's hot out, but he doesn't mind David sticking so close by. It's comforting, actually, feeling his warmth like this. Like, no matter what, even if the ice cream truck doesn't come by anymore, David doesn't really need a reason to just come by and sit next to Jasper and do nothing together.

At least that won't change.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"Let's do something next year."

"Like what?"

"Something new." David turns his attention back to the sky and reaches out towards it. He tries to grab a cloud, but it floats away from his hand. "I've always wanted to go camping."

"But we don't know anything about camping."

"We can practice." David pulls back just enough to look Jasper in the eye, bright eyed at the prospect. "We got a whole year to prepare, and we'll be graduating soon anyways. Why not do something special for that summer?"

No more ice cream trucks. No more sitting around. But something new to fill in the void.

It couldn't hurt, right?

"Yeah." He smiles as David returns with his own grin. "Let's try that out."

* * *

Summers come as they are wont to do. And they leave as they tend to do. The ice cream truck never comes back.

But that's okay.

David brightens up significantly as they begin camping, and Jasper wonders if he'd been holding his friend back for so long, making him wait for trucks to come when it was clear they needed to move on.

And yet.

He stood by him the entire time, waiting until Jasper was ready to let go.

An unspoken trust. With unwavering understanding.

Camping is alright, he supposes, but David loves how the trees surround them, how the birds sing above them, the way they come across streams and rivers as though they were new discoveries.

Camping is alright. But David's happiness is worth so much more.

"Jasp!" David pulls him along to the nearby clearing, their campfire crackling softly as he points up to the sky. "You don't get to see stars like this often!"

"...Yeah." He watches as David stares up at the night sky, so unlike the boy he grew up with. It's a side of him he's rarely seen before.

And he thinks that it's a shame that they never got to explore this side of him sooner.

Wouldn't that have made David happier?

David turns to Jasper, head tilted to the side as he catches his friend staring.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, uh, nothing." He looks away with a blush, scratching at his cheek as he looks for something to distract David with. "Oh yeah, we should make sure the campfire doesn't burn down anything, right?"

"Oh- yeah!" David rushes back, already worried as Jasper laughs.

This.

This is different.

But it's a good kind of different.

"Hey."

"Huh?" David looks up from where he sits by the fire, watching as Jasper plops down besides him.

"Why do you like camping so much?"

"...I dunno it just." He shrugs, smiling wistfully as he watches the fire. "I mean, I used to camp a lot with my dad. Before he left." 

Ah, right.

"Wouldn't you hate camping then?"

"I mean, I did. For a long time, I did." David laughs, a light blush dusting his cheeks as he talks. "But then, you became my friend. And we grew closer and. I just wanted to do something with you. Something that we could claim as our own. Sure, there was that whole ice cream thing but. That could only last for so long, and when it ran its course, I saw how you were struggling to just. Wrap your mind around losing something that was so _us_. And I wanted to do something. Make a new something. And. Camping was the only thing I could think of." He shrugs as he turns to face Jasper, the brunette wide eyed as the ginger grins. "It just felt... right, you know?"

"...God." Jasper shakes his head, laughing as he does so. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"Only because you stuck by long enough for me to _be_ amazing." David nudges his shoulder playfully. "...Hey."

"Hm?"

"Thanks. For actually, um. Being my friend." David looks down as he speaks. "It couldn't have been easy."

"...Nah, thanks for letting me stick to that ice cream schtick for so long." Jasper bonks his head gently against David's. " _That_ couldn't have been easy."

"It's whatever." David bonks back with a smile. "I mean, as long as I got to spend time with you, it was worth it."

...Yeah.

It was, wasn't it?

He smiles as their fingers brush together.

Yeah, maybe camping was just alright. If it'd been with anyone else, he'd be pretty indifferent and distant throughout the whole affair.

But.

With David?

Like when they were waiting for the ice cream truck together, the sun beaming down above them, feet kicking playfully at asphalt as they listened to the sounds of the birds chirping in the distance.

Sitting here, by an open fire, underneath the stars and listening to the songs of the crickets and the hoots of the owls.

Just like then.

Just. Existing next to each other.

It just.

Feels.

Right.


End file.
